Kayla Bartok- last post

Kayla Bartok

Blog #3

  Yesterday was our last day in Greece and it was a great last day.  We didn't have to wake up super early like all of the other days, which was nice.  We first went to the Olympicos soccer stadium which I was really interested in because I love soccer and I play for LaRoche.  We got a tour of the museum and we were able to learn about the history of the team and see all of the trophies that they have won.  We also learned about gate 7 where 21 fan died at the stadium.  Then after the tour of the museum we went to the stadium and got to walk down by the field.  The field was amazing because it was all grass and not turf.  I took so many pictures with the other soccer girls that came on the trip.  

    After seeing the stadium we were able to see the home teams locker room but we could not take any pictures.  It was amazing, with the really nice seats, hot tub, and lockers that the players used.  Then we went to the soccer store and I wasn't planning on spending any more money but I had to get stuff because everything was buy one get one free.  I think touring the stadium was one of my favorite parts of the trip.

   The rest of the day we had some free time and got a tour of the acropolis which had a great view.  The tour guy told us so much information that it was hard to keep up but I still learned a lot about the acropolis and the city of Athens.  During our tour we saw some teenage soccer players doing tricks and they were really good.  It was nice to see kids about my age that have a common interest as me.

   Now we are on our way back to Pittsburgh.  I wish we could have stayed in Greece longer but it still feels good to come home to see my family and friends.  This was a once in a lifetime trip for me and it was an amazing experience.  I am so great full that I was able to go on this trip and that LaRoche college made it possible and we had a great instructor to come with us on the trip.  Thank you :)

Celeste Reed - last post

Celeste Reed

From the beginning of the school year I was counting down the days till our Greece trip. Right now, I am sitting on the floor of Newark airport outside of our gate feeling sad. I knew our trip would be the experience of a lifetime, but I underestimated how much I would fall in love with Greece.

Eating gyros, jumping in the Mediterranean, standing on top of Mycenae dangling my feet off the edge of a cliff, taking an island cruise were among some of my favorite moments and viewing the sights of the Golden Ages of Greece on the Acropolis. However, if I had to pick one moment that made my trip special it was riding my donkey, "Diva" up the island of Hydra. My bucket list for our trip was to ride a donkey (which I made extremely clear by announcing it to everyone repeatedly for months). This experience was breathtaking. I told Dr. Jean that the birth of my first child may not top this experience for me. I wanted to stay in that moment for the rest of my life.

I cannot express how many times I looked around during my time in Greece and thought how blessed I was to be able to experience it all. I want to thank my "sorority sisters" aka the girls on the trip for all the laughs, Dr. Jean and "Dr." Julie for being perfect and La Roche study abroad for designing this amazing opportunity.

"I ain't lucky I'm blessed."

Nick Work last post

Nick Work

Today I am very sad to depart to Pittsburgh because I do not want to leave. It has been a wonderful trip with great people. We have had a crash course on Greece history and I tried to retain as much as I can. My plan is to go back and research more about where I have been. While I'm doing so I am blessed I can I say that I was there. My favorite part of the trip has to be when we took a boat to three different islands. One being Hydra, which was my favorite. It is a different way of life there, for they have no means of transportation besides donkey and boat. Although I did not ride a donkey, after a little bit of convincing by Phil Ross I decided to jump in the freezing water.  The water was crystal clear blue and you can see straight down to the bottom. After we jumped in the water we only had about a half hour to see as much of the town as we could. Therefore me and Phil jogged to the city trying to get up the mountain to capture the best picture. The whole time I had a judge smile on my face because the town was more than I could ever expect, with white houses with blue shutters, just like a postcard.

But coming over seas is so amazing to me to because meeting people from different culture is a learning experience in itself. I hope one day to come back! Overall rating 10/10!

Philipos Ross. Last post

Philipos Ross

Well, the day has finally come, the departure from Greece back to the states. I am a little delirious because of the fact that I received minimal sleep the whole trip, and we received our wake up call at 3am today to go to the airport, so don't judge this post. Overall, this was the experience of a lifetime. Everything happened so fast in a little amount of time. I believe that everyone as a whole learned a good amount of knowledge on the trip, due to our informational tour guides. The trip as a whole was phenomenal, and our cruise ship to the three islands had to have been my favorite part. I jumped in the glass-like water of the Mediterranean at Hydra, the first of our island tours. I went in a second time because Nick being Nick, dropped his passport in the Mediterranean and I had to dive in to get it, which worked to my advantage because he bought my beverages the rest of the time on the ship. My favorite part about the trip were the views from various parts of Greece. From the mountain ranges to the islands, the views were truly breathtaking. Again, the pictures don't do it justice. It was truly something sensational. What an experience, I can't thank our institution enough for this opportunity. If I ever find a wife, I can almost guarantee I am coming back to Greece for my honeymoon to continue the tour of the islands, they are that beautiful. 

Joe Illig The Acropolis

Joe Illig

Yesterday we explored the city of Athens. We had already looked at the modern part earlier in the week. We saw that all in all it was a nice city, but as many do it had some less nice areas. We saw in the shopping square many Jamaicans, who were hustling people (they got Phil). Later, we learned that they were trying to get to Germany for asylum. Unfortunately, Germany pays Greece and other countries to not let them through customs. Hence, the cycle of poverty continues. On a brighter note we got to see the ancient city of Athens. The most amazing part was the Acropolis. It was truly amazing to see the Parthenon and how the Greeks were able to build such buildings without modern technology. The Greco-Roman antiquities were breathtaking, the architectural influences were absolutely crucial to the establishment of our modern age. Overall I give Athens 8/10, still would recommend.

Olympiacos stadium

Leaving Greece

The day has come-- we are leaving this beautiful country. This has been the best week I could have ever imagined. Greece exceeded all expectations I had before arriving. We had an amazing group of people and I felt like we all meshed really well. Dr. Forte was the best instructor for this trip-- we lucked out big time! I think that my favorite part of the trip was visiting Delphi. The view from the top was by far the most beautiful thing I have ever seen. I am really sad to be going home already, but I am so grateful for this opportunity I have been given! 

Holly-Last day/flight day!

Good morning from Greece! Today is our travel day back to the states. We got a wake up call at 3 AM and naturally we slept until about 3:45 to squeeze in in as much sleep as possible. I have learned a lot over the course of this week. To say that I am blessed is probably an understatement. I enjoyed all of the experiences this week provided and I can't thank La Roche enough for allowing me the opportunity to study abroad. I would also like to thank Dr.Forti and her sister for being absolutely wonderful chaperons. 

Until next time, Greece!! 

Christine Chiodo

It's currently 3:48 am on March 13th and our trip is officially coming to a close. We all are just strolling down to the lobby with our eyes still shut and that weird feeling of excitement and dissappintment in our stomachs. I'm ready for home, my bed and my family but there's no way that I'm ready to leave the trip of a lifetime.

Coming into this trip I really had no idea what to expect, and in all honesty the beginning of the trip was sort of slow, but by the 4th day or so, in Tolo, it was in full swing. In Tolo we woke up to the prettiest view outside of our balcony and then headed off to see Myceanic Acroplolis, Corynth Canal and said goodbye to our amazing tour guide Andy. The next day we headed back to Anthens and took our boat tour to 3 islands of Greece. Those islands were by far the most beautiful thing we saw during the entire trip. When you picture Greece, this is what you picture. We took a donky ride in Hydra through the white houses with the blue windows, climbed to the clock tower in Pyros and sat by the water in an open cafe while drinking coffee in Aegina. I don't think we could have had a better day. Yesterday, our final day in Greece, was full of Athens. The Acropolis, Parthenon and an amazing soccer stadium! Everything surpassed all expectations that I had and I am so excited to have had such an amazing day in Athens 

Overall the trip was far greater than I could have imagined and I learned information that will stay with me forever. Thank you to everyone that worked to great measures to get our group here. A special thanks to Nicole Gable, our coordinator, Dr. Jean Forti and her sister Julie, our instructors on the trip and lastly, La Roche College as a whole. As students to be able to experience this you truly realize how lucky you are to be apart of such an amazing college. 

Holly-Parthenon

Today we got to sleep in a little bit (yay!) and visit around the the city of Athens. First thing this morning we went to tour a soccer stadium very close to Athens. That in itself was insanely cool. The team, since 1925 has won 41 championships. The field was very nice and our tour guide had a lot of info to share. After we finished our tour we got to go back to the city and shop and have lunch. Then we met up with another tour guide that took us around and talked about the ancient ruins. This by far was my favorite thing we had done all week. They were high up on the hill overlooking the city and the weather even cooperated and was warm and sunny all afternoon. I think all of the info the tour guide gave us (which was A LOT!) was all very interesting. I had been looking forward to walking around these ruins all week and it didn't let me down!! I attached a picture below of the view as we walked into the ruins. 

Christine

Shane Healey

Shane Healey

With the Greek trip coming to an end, looking back on it, it was an amazing time. We went to 3 Islands today: Hydra, Poros, and Aegina. The views coming into the port of all the islands were awesome. My favorite by far was Hydra. They had donkey rides, clear water and great ice cream! Poros has the clock tower with the Greek flag positioned next to it, it was a sight for some good pictures and the view of the water and Southern Greece was pretty cool.

Through this entire trip, I have met some good people from Greece. They all did their best to help me and the others. They spoke proudly of their country and taught us Greek mythology, customs, traditions and even gave us some tips when shopping or trying out different foods. I am really looking forward to touring the Acropolis and wrapping up the trip with the soccer stadium tour.

I would like to thank my parents, Dr. Jean Forti, her sister Julie, Nicole Gable, La Roche College and all of the students with me to make this trip the best experience I could have. I am very grateful for this opportunity and am hopeful to travel to another country sometime in the near future!

Cassie Nadzam

Cassie Nadzam 

Today, Wednesday March 11th, we took a cruise touring 3 of the gorgeous islands of Greece. We saw Hydra, Pyros, and Agena. My favorite was Hydra because we rode donkeys to the top of the large island and oversaw all the beautiful scenery surrounding it. We then visited some quaint little shops and talked to the lovely shop owners. It was heartbreaking to leave there!! 

Philipos Ross - Wednesday, March 11

Philipos Ross

Out of the whole trip, today was my favorite day. We traveled to Poros, Aegina, and Hydra islands via a mini cruise ship and were blessed with nice weather. The weather was so nice that I dived into the glass-like water of the Mediterranean Sea at Hydra,  even though the locals thought I was insane because of how cold the water is. Hydra was as beautiful as a post card, tiered with white houses with blue windows on the mountain. I took a plethora of pictures on the island but they simply do not do it justice; you have to be there to witness it for yourself. I had the best fish of my life today, probably because of the fact that the fish was hours fresh out of the Mediterranean. Again, I cannot stress enough of the beauty of the islands, they were truly breath-taking. What an experience we have all had today, I feel truly blessed and am thankful for the opportunity to travel abroad. 

Hannah Bevington Wednesday, March 11

Hannah Bevington 

 Today is Wednesday March 11th. Although it is hard to pick a "favorite" day I might have to say today might be my favorite so far. We visited three different Greek islands. I feel like we covered so much and got to see and explore a variety of places. We were able to explore shops. Try and buy local foods: like pistachios. Also I have waited this whole trip to ride a donkey! It was even better then expected we went to one of the highest points of the island and got to oversee everything. It was absolutely breathtaking and I almost didn't get back on the boat! I wanted to stay forever! 

Joe Illig. -islands

Joe Illig

Today we went on a cruise. It was absolutely stunning. The cruise was a tour of the islands of Greece. These aren't your typical islands, They were the islands that you see in movies... real good stuff. Not only were the islands beautiful, they also had a rich history in antiquity. We got to witness Greco-Roman architectural influences at their finest. The isle of hydra was one of the most gorgeous places I've ever seen, you could see right to the bottom of the sea, as the water was crystal clear. I would rate the Greek islands a 10/10, Absolute Recommendation.

Mareya Justice

Today we took a cruise to visit the islands of Hydra, Poros and Aegina. The cruise was amazing and the weather was beautiful. Each of the islands were beautiful in their own way. My favorite of the three was Hydra. Hydra was our first stop on the cruise. At this island we got the opportunity to ride on a donkey. While traveling through the streets the tour guide had informed me that my donkey was a rescue donkey. Her name was Melina and she was found starved and beaten. The tour guide had rescued her and had given her a second chance at life. She is now very strong and healthy, just like the others. She was a little timid and did not like to be petted but was very well behaved during the tour. The donkeys had carried us to the top of the hill where we got to embrace the view around us. The second stop was Poros. At Poros we climbed the hill to the clock tower. The view was breathtaking. After shopping at the stores we then traveled to our next destination, Aegina. At this island there was sand surrounding the water, which had very interesting shells. I captured some of the sand and shells in a bottle. I will now always have a little piece of Greece with me! We are now on the cruise headed back to meet the bus. While traveling back to the bus we are enjoying Greek music and dancing!  

Shelby Novak-Cruise and Islands

Today was by far my favorite day on the trip! We had an amazing day full of sunshine as we cruised the Saronic Gulf Cruise tour. We visited the islands Hydra, Poros, and Aigina (in that order). Hydra was my absolute favorite! I decided to take a thirty minute donkey ride to sight see the island. I've never rode a donkey before, and it just made it 100 times better to ride a donkey on an island in Greece. I love looking at houses and doors in different countries. I took hundreds of pictures of all the sights I saw. My donkey's name was Dennis and he was such a sweetheart. After the donkey ride I walked around to get a closer look at the water and the shops along the island. Shane and I work for Reaction Nutrition, so I thought it would be an awesome idea to get a picture together in front of a beautiful landscape in our Reaction shirts. It's really cool to show us representing the company all the way from Greece. I also took a few pictures on each island in my Reaction shirt while I was doing a bodybuilding pose, which is perferct since the company plays a role in the fitness world. I think one of my favorite favorite pictures is when Shane and I are standing in front of the clock tower located on Poros, with the Greek flag waving, I'm doing my pose and he's pointing at me. It turned out perfect. This day turned out perfect and it is a great way to spend one of the last few days here. 

Shane Healy March 10

Shane Healey

The past couple days we have been to Delphi, Olympia and Tolo. Delphi had a great view of the mountains and had the most ancient sight in Greece. We had met a shop owner who was very nice and bartered prices with us (bartering is accepted in Greece). He talked a lot about the Greek culture and the economy.

In Olympia, some of us raced on the same track as the very first Olympic Games. I ended up winning the race and received a crown (made out of branches) by the guard of the Stadium, it was an awesome experience! Finally, our hotel in Tolo was right on the water, 20 feet away to be exact. The view was great, especially when the sun was coming up! We are back in Athens and are excited to explore what it has to offer even more.

Nick

Nick

Yesterday we visited the Olympic stadium, and it was not as you would expect it to be. Because the Greeks do not believe in reconstruction. Therefore, you must use your imagination to picture what once was there. Even though little still stands it's easy to see that there were once massive and important buildings and statues. After many hours on the bus we got to our hotel that was located right on the beach on the Ionian Sea. Even though it was around 50 degrees, a group us ran into the freezing water. The next morning we woke up to a beautiful view right out our balcony. And we departed Mycenae acropolis. And the tomb of Agamemnon.  Rating 10 / 10!